


The Willow Husband, or The Story of Why the Lonely Mountain is Shaped Like a Star

by Melime



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Blood and Injury, Fairy Tale Retellings, Fairy Tale Style, Heavy Angst, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, M/M, The Silmarillion References, brief appearances of Yavanna and Aulë, not as much of a sorrowful ending as the original tale but still tragic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 13:53:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30022758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melime/pseuds/Melime
Summary: Gimli found his love when he met a beautiful elf under the most majestic of willow trees, but he will only learn of Legolas' secret when it's too late to avoid their grim fate.A retelling of the willow wife.
Relationships: Gimli (Son of Glóin)/Legolas Greenleaf
Comments: 3
Kudos: 25
Collections: Froday Flash Fiction Fandom Battle





	The Willow Husband, or The Story of Why the Lonely Mountain is Shaped Like a Star

**Author's Note:**

> I would say this is about 30% The Willow Wife, 30% messing with the Silmarillion in ways it wasn't intended (by someone who hasn't read the book and has absolutely changed so many things to fit the story), 30% Legolas/Gimli being made for each other and 10% of more European folklore conventions to pull things to a slightly happier side because I love the sorrow so common in Japanese tales but I couldn't do it to them (but I think it's still tragic enough). Narration isn't quite as I wanted but I tried to go for a slightly folktale style.

Long ago, in a village by the feet of Mount Gundabad, at the northernmost edge of the Misty Mountains, there was a majestic willow tree, said to have grown since the early days of Arda and known as the most beloved of Yavanna’s olvar.

In summer its shadow provided restful respite from the ardent sun, in winter its branches kept the snow from covering the ground, and through the year there was no ache or fever that its green leaves or the splint of its bark couldn’t sooth.

Though the elves followed closer to Yavanna, and the Ents were born to protect her olvar from mortal axes, this most beloved of trees was said to be her gift to her consort Aulë, so that his creation might know that though they were the adopted children of Ilúvatar, their existence was no less in tune with the Music of the Aenur than the children of Ilúvatar’s choice.

As such it was said that as long as the willow tree stood the race of dwarves would bear fruit, and though their kingdoms might rise and fall, they would know both glory and peace, for that was her blessing to them.

Through the ages, the dwarves enjoyed the benefits of the willow tree, but being of a mortal kind, soon they forgot the stories and stopped appreciating its beauty, for their hearts loved the stone above the trees.

Until one day one of Durin’s Folk was born with a heart like those of old, who knew the beauty of stone and jewel, but too could love forest and tree. He was named Gimli, as he was born on a night of shining stars.

Ever since he was young Gimli visited the willow tree, and though he cut much wood for timber, his axe never came close to the willow, for he was dwarven and couldn’t hear the voice of trees, but the stone and the mountain sang the willow’s praise, which he heard, though his folk could hear it no longer, for his heart was open to the beauty of Arda.

And when his kin wished to cut the willow so that they may build a bridge to trample with their feet and the hoofs of their ponies, his was the only voice of objection, but it was so loud that the others wouldn’t dare approach the tree.

One day, as he returned home, Gimli noticed an elf sitting by the shadow of the willow tree, and was struck by his beauty, for though he looked much like the silvan kin who dwelled in the forests of the southeast, his hair was as that of the Vanyar, and through the willow’s branches the last rays of sunlight shone on his head making him seem as crowned by a veil of the most precious gold.

He approached the elf with care, as one would a woodland creature, for his kin was known to disappear among the trees, and this elf seemed even more ethereal than his kin. Before he could reach him, the elf turned to him and smiled shyly.

“Master elf, I meant not to disturb, I wish only to welcome you to the Misty Mountains, as I have never seen one of your kind dwelling so far from the woodland helm.”

He turned his face, as if suddenly struck by great sadness. “Since the years of the trees I await for the one who has my heart.”

“And who has dared to leave such a fair creature waiting?” he asked, but before an answer came, a fleeting bird caught his eye, and in his distraction the elf disappeared.

Gimli sighed, for he feared he would never see the elf again.

The following dusk, Gimli once again saw the elf sitting alone. “Master elf, has your love not yet come?”

“Long have I waited for his arrival, since the mountains were young.”

“Then your love is a fool, for only a fool would leave someone such as yourself waiting for so long.”

The elf laughed. “Come sit with me then, by the shadow of the willow tree. Tell me of the lives of your people, and the beauties you have created since awakening.”

Gimli hesitated, wary of his woodland creature who talked of young mountains and the years of the trees, but he could see the elf meant him no harm. And so every day as he left the forges they would sit by the willow tree and talk.

“Tell me, master elf, do you still wait for your love?” Gimli asked one night, hoping that the elf had forgotten his neglectful lover.

“I need to wait no longer, as my love has found me, and he is the one his people call after the stars” he said, taking Gimli’s hand, and his own had no heat. “You may call me Legolas, as the green leaves of the willow tree, and I am son to none. In the name of your love ask me no question, for dark will be the day when you understand from where I came.”

Though the elf’s warning was ominous, Gimli didn’t question him, because in those days of talking under the tree he had fallen in love with him, and only his belief that he was waiting for a promised lover that kept Gimli from declaring his love, so the condition of not asking about his origin was a small one.

“I promise to respect your will. Then Legolas of the willow tree, will you be my husband?”

“Yes, it would be my honor,” Legolas said, then he kissed him, and as their lips met he seemed to solidify in his arms, as a spirit made real.

Gimli suspected then, more than ever before, of the origins of his elf, but he had given his word, and he had long heard of stories of old, when the identity of apparitions being known caused them to disappear. So he asked for no answers, simply taking Legolas with him to live among his people.

For many years afterwards they lived together, and they were the happiest couple in all of Middle Earth. The dwarves of Durin's Folk flourished like never before, and their riches were known throughout the land.

After the long and prosperous decades, Gimli forgot Legolas' warning, and he began believing they would live happily for the rest of their lives. But alas it was not to be, for a shadow of envy struck down upon them.

The rumors of the good fortune of the dwarves reached Saruman the White, and when he heard of the willow tree of Mount Gundabad, he demanded it be given as tribute to the construction of a temple in honor of Aulë, for he was a Maia of Aulë, and though he knew that Ilúvatar forbade the worship of the Aenur as gods, the fall of Saruman was already on its way.

So when word came that Saruman demanded the willow tree and would accept no other, though they offered to clear entire forests for him.

Since they knew Gimli would object, they decided to cut the tree during the night, hoping he wouldn't learn of their action until it was too late.

Gimli woke up in the middle of the night hearing a blood freezing scream.

"They are killing me, they are cutting me!" Legolas yelled.

Gimli turned to him, and to his horror Legolas was covered in cuts, bleeding freely, new cuts appearing before his eyes.

It was then that Gimli understood that his husband was the willow tree that he had protected and treasured for all these years. And just as Legolas had predicted, the truth had only come to bring him suffering.

He grabbed Legolas on his arms, and ran outside with him, hushing to the willow tree.

Gimli pushed past his kin, reaching the willow tree, where he laid Legolas to rest. Although the tree still stood, its bark was cut on all sides, and it wouldn't survive long even if he did all in his power to save it. Although Legolas was still breathing all his clothes were covered in blood, and Gimli feared there was nothing to be done to save him either.

"Stop this brutality at once!" he said, grabbing an axe from a neighboring dwarf and swinging it wildly.

In his heart he knew it was too late to save Legolas, that his wounds were too severe and being the spirit of the tree he could not survive while the tree perished. He had failed to protect his love and it was his own kin that brought their downfall, but while an elf might have accepted the sorrow and faded from grief, he was a dwarf and as such he would fight until his last breath though there was no hope.

"Saruman demands that this willow tree be given to make timber for a new temple," one of the dwarves said.

"Any who wishes to harm the willow tree will have to pass through me," he said, raising the axe high, though it hurt him to think of fighting against his kin.

All the woodmen of the village surrounded them, all armed with axes, and he stood alone, for Legolas wouldn't be able to defend himself.

"You would raise your axe against your kind to protect a tree?" another one said.

"I would raise it to protect my heart. Begone before blood is spilled among kin."

But the dwarves are a proud race, and they couldn't stop once they had taken their stance, so they moved against Gimli and Legolas the willow tree.

Far away in another realm, Yavanna watched the dwarves attack her most favored of olvar, and she weeped, for the willow tree was the symbol of her trust in them and they had now broken that trust.

When she thought that there was no more hope, that all of her olvar would be destined to the same cruel fate, Aulë touched her shoulder and pointed to the battle again.

“Watch. Although many have broken their oath to keep this willow tree safe, one stands against his kin in the willow tree’s defense,” he said.

She looked at the hopeless battle below and she saw the lone dwarf facing a horde he could not best, and she knew then that her most beloved willow tree had found one to give his heart and that their love was strong.

“I cannot keep them safe, for the dwarves are not of my part of the music,” she pleaded.

Aulë looked at the brave dwarf and though he couldn’t stop the others in their attack, and he could intervene in the battle, there was one thing he could do for him.

As the dwarf fell, unable to keep on going against such a great number, Aulë gently took him in his hands, and molded him again into stone, but though his body was small, his heart was big and grew even further in Aulë’s hands. He was called Gimli by his people, after the word for a star, so Aulë shaped him into rock with his peak radiating into six ridges in the form of a star.

Then Aulë placed the small dwarf, now a large rock, back into Arda, a lone mountain far away from the Misty Mountains range, on the other side of the green forest. And Yavanna reached for her willow tree, placing him on the peak of the Lonely Mountain, and she healed his bark, so that he might live for as long as the stone would.

Though the dwarves of Durin’s Folk saw the tree and the brave dwarf who stood in its protection disappear before their eyes, they would never know what happened on that night, but their house had lost the favor of Yavanna and their days of glory were past.

To this day it is said that atop the Lonely Mountain rests a willow tree, the largest ever seen in Arda, and though the mountain top is covered in snow even during spring, its leaves are always green and it always offers shelter from the snow.


End file.
